Maryam Sarbandi Farahani is the translator of the book that was originally published in 2002.
The historical and cultural richness of West Asia is reflected visually in its costumes. In this book, Scarce makes brilliant use of years of research to provide a lucid account of the development of women’s dress from the fourteenth to the early twentieth centuries. Her study of costumes is set in the broader context of the social and economic background of the Ottoman Empire, giving the subject a new and fascinating slant.
A detailed discussion of cut and construction is accompanied by pattern layouts and numerous photographs, which clearly illustrate the different styles of dress through the centuries.
“Women’s costumes of the Near and Middle East” is a hitherto sadly neglected subject. After years of original research across the world, Scarce’s scholarly but readable study has admirably filled this gap.
Scarce is an honorary lecturer on West Asian cultures at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee, and was formerly principal curator of the West Asian collections of the National Museums of Scotland with special responsibility for Iran and Turkey.
She is a council member of the British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS) and a founding member of the Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East (ASTENE). She has traveled widely in West Asia and has arranged many exhibitions and permanent galleries.
She has published articles and books on architectural decoration including tile work, dress and textiles, especially of Iran and Turkey.
Source:Tehran Times